A Forgotten Secret
by Outcast4Ever
Summary: One day, out of the blue, M.K. is whisked back to Moonhaven and shruken back to the size of the leafmen. No one is there to welcome her, and none seem to know why she is there. However, when the leafmen run into a mysterious being who brings with them never-ending darkness, they have a pretty good guess. Just who is this dark one and why has he come? And, how can he be stopped?
1. Prologue

Deep in the forest, beyond the hidden realm of Moonhaven and the tranquil pond that houses the pods where a new queen is picked once every full summer solstice moon, lies a babbling brook like no other. As all brooks do, it leads to a creek, and that creek leads to a stream which leads to a river. But unlike all others, this brook holds a secret so long forgotten, that even the brook itself seems not to know much of its whereabouts.

Along the brook, along the creek, along the stream and river, you will find the willows. And among these willows, the forgotten secret lies in wait for the time of the prophecy. A prophecy forgotten even before its own existence was, though the secret remembers it well. The secret whose memory died long ago, still remembers, and waits for the night of the silver willow.

* * *

_Beyond meadows still,  
beyond forests tall,  
A dark threat awaits,  
hidden from all. _

_Its past is forgotten,  
its future unclear.  
All that is known,  
is that you have much to fear. _

_On a night like any other,  
one no one would know,  
Its arrival is marked  
by the silver willow. _

_As the wind passes through,  
over rivers and brooks,  
It comes with fire  
burning in its looks. _

_The days and the nights  
will blend into one,  
And no one is safe  
from the dark one's cruel fun._

_ Yet from a world beyond reach,  
a savior may come.  
Bringing with them joy,  
happiness and love. _

_But only a bond,  
stronger than life,  
Will help this kind savior,  
in winning the fight. _

_A bond to break all,  
and save a cold heart,  
Is what will keep them  
from falling apart. _

_Anger and sorrow,  
darkness and fear,  
Hope will be lost  
and temptation draw near. _

_A light that shines strong,  
is all that can save.  
But in the end of it all,  
a choice must be made. _

_A battle between  
the dark and the light.  
And in the end,  
only one can win the fight._

* * *

The secret had never forgotten, and would never forget. For in the light of the half moon that rose above its hiding place, it caught a glimpse of something glittering among the willow branches. And in that moment, it knew that the long forgotten prophecy was coming to pass. The silver willow was almost upon them, and with it would come the end of all that was good and light.


	2. Chapter 1: Fading Light

M.K. was out in the woods, thinking of everything and nothing. The cool autumn sun shone down through the canopy of leaves high above her, dappling the soft green grass in the little hidden glade. She had graduated high school over a year ago, and was now in her sophomore year of college. She spent all of her free time helping her dad with his research, made even easier now that they had made friends with the 'tiny people' living in the acres of forest behind his large, rundown house. She also kept up with Nod, talking with him at least once a week about what was going on in Moonhaven and how his training as a leafman was going.

A small, quiet beeping accompanied by vibrating within her pocket alerted her to the portable monitor her father had created, with a bit of help from her, that would allow her to communicate with Nod and the others wherever she was, whenever they called her. Smiling to herself, M.K. pulled out the device, about the size of a smartphone, and pressed the single button adorning its shining surface. A mere fraction of a second later, Nod's smiling face appeared on the monitor, his soft brown eyes shining with happiness.

"Hey, M.K.!" he greeted, practically bouncing with a child-like excitement.

Soft giggles escaped her at his behavior, despite her efforts to suppress them. "What's up, Nod?"

"Nothing much," he replied, calming down and shrugging as if what he was about to say next was nothing at all. "You're just looking at the newest Captain of the Leafmen."

"Really? That's great!"

"Isn't it?!" he exclaimed, leaping out of sight and returning moments later with a light blush behind his freckles. "So, when do you think you'll be able to visit?"

"Oh. I don't know, Nod." Her face fell, a slight frown tugging at the corners of her mouth and sorrow taking residence in her emerald orbs. "You know I'd love to see Moonhaven again, but I have a future beyond the forest. I just don't know if I can manage a visit."

Nod's face fell as well, his expression easily matching hers or maybe even surpassing it in disappointment. "You know what, that's... that's fine. I'll just... talk to you later. I have to go. Bye." He rushed, hopping onto his speedy mount and darting away from the camera as fast as possible.

Sighing, M.K. turned off the monitor and leaned back against a tree, slowly sinking to the ground. There was something bothering her, in the far corner of her mind, but she couldn't place what. Had it been the way Nod had acted after she mentioned leaving the forest in the future? Possibly, but that didn't seem to be all.

After she had become no more than five inches tall, she had always had a strange connection to nature. Whether that had to do with the pod she had carried at that time or something completely different she couldn't tell, but the feeling, the connection, was there. There was no denying that. However, she would deny her feelings for any tiny person, whether the feelings existed or not, until the end of days. It just wasn't possible for her to go back and have a life there, after all. No, not after her near-death experience and forced goodbye last time.

M.K. closed her eyes and simply listened to the quiet songs of the birds and the melody of the wind as the dapples of light shifted slightly with the movement of the sun further towards the west. The day was slowly ticking away, and with it her desire to move from the spot she was in. The dry, soft grass underneath her was inviting, calling out to her to just rest for a while in the slow-fading rays. Complying, she let herself sink completely to the ground and curl up between the two large roots of the oak behind her, the grass and moss from the roots providing a nice pillow for her to rest her head.

* * *

_I can't believe her!_ Nod thought, weaving in and out of branches on his hummingbird, Night. _I mean, I invite her for a_ visit _and she tells me her future is away from the forest. It's not like I wanted her to stay forever, maybe only a few days. What's so wrong with that?_

"You'll never turn on me, will you Night?" He questioned his mount, stroking the soft feathers of the bird's head gently.

The lithe, silver-toned bird shook her head slightly, dark-tipped wings slowing as she lighted on a thin branch above a creek just outside the borders of the leafmen jurisdiction. Nod had never been here himself, and Night seemed quite uncomfortable being here, which is likely why she stopped. Dismounting, he headed towards the tip of the branch to look down into the creek.

The fading rays of light turned the flowing water into a ribbon of gold, lined on the far bank by willows. Looking up and across the golden-tinted water, he caught a flash of silver among the swaying branches of the willows. Rubbing his eyes, he looked again and shrugged at the lack of silver that he found.

"Alright, Night. Let's head home." He said, jumping onto his saddle and placing his helmet back on his head from where it had been strapped over his shoulder alongside his sword.


	3. Chapter 2: Surprise Visit

M.K. wakes up with a headache, the dim lighting of the room telling her she doesn't want to open her eyes because she's already seeing spots. She sighs and rolls away from the window, very, very slowly blinking her eyes open. The room around her is decorated with soft pinks and greens, like a springtime meadow.

The bedspread is soft like rosepetals, and when she takes it between her fingers she realizes that's exactly the material it's made of. And so are the curtains, and the sheets, and the nightgown she's wearing.

_Wait, nightgown?!_

She looks down at her clothes, panicking slightly. Where was the sweatshirt her dad had bought her? Where were her nice and cozy faded blue jeans? And... was she wearing a _leaf bra_?!

Her frown deepens and she jumps out of bed, looking out the window to the bustling town below. _Moonhaven_.

She sucks in a calming breath and turns back to see a dress with a rose petal skirt of soft pink and a light green bodice that would cover her shoulders. Beside the dress on a chair were a pair of light green slippers to match the bodice.

After a moment's thought she changes outfits, folding the nightgown and laying it carefully on the bed. If she was really in Moonhaven, she didn't understand why her clothes hadn't shrunk with her.

She sighs and steps into the slippers, amazed at the comfort of not only the dress but the shoes as well.

Now, she just had to figure out where exactly she was and why she was here. Because there was always a reason.

M.K. sighs again and leaves the room, starting down the stairs of the simply decorated house. It was kind of charmingly messy, like someone had purposely ruffled the couch cushions or misplaced the throw pillows and the blanket was crooked to prove a point. All in all, it reminded her of Nod.

_Nod_... Her breath catches and she closes her eyes to stop a sudden tear. _Oh god, what will he think of me now?_

She snorts. "He'll be glad to see me," she whispers, moving into another room that must be a kitchen and picking up an acorn muffin. "After all, he wanted me to come back."

She smiles slightly and takes a bite of the muffin, melting at the flavor. Perfectly amazing, just like the last time she was here. When the forest had needed her to help save it.

Her eyes widen and she drops the muffin. "Magic," she breathes, and then she's running out of the house and to the barracks where she prays she'll find Nod.

* * *

Nod sighs and rubs Night's feathers. He honestly hadn't even been looking when he saw a pile of clothes kinda like what M.K. used to wear. Still, he had landed and heard almost gasping breaths somewhere in the thick fabric, and pulled out a naked M.K..

His blush comes back at that. At least, you know, the new Queen was willing to help dress her so he could take her back to his house for rest. She had just looked so tired and peaceful, and she was his size again so she couldn't walk home anyway.

This was a good and bad thing. Good, because M.K. was back and the perfect hugging size again. And she couldn't leave. Nod wasn't sure when he had started caring about her like this, but he had.

The bad thing was the Queen didn't know how she got here. As she had said last night, 'I didn't bring her, and I don't know who or what did'. Which meant there could be a threat.

And just because he wasn't General yet didn't mean he was safe from worrying about enemies of Moonhaven and the forest. He, like Ronin, had a lot to worry about. And enemies were only a small part. And now he had to worry about protecting the savior of the forest too.

Who he had left at home.

His eyes widen and he turns to race home, until she runs right into his and tackles him in a hug. "Oh Nod, I was so scared I wouldn't see you again after yesterday," she says into his shoulder, voice muffled by his uniform.

He carefully wraps his arms around her, instinctively rubbing her back with one hand to calm her down. "It's okay, M.K., I could never be mad at you."

She smiles and kisses him lightly, her lips soft and like a feather as she brushes them against his. "I missed you," she says softly.

He smiles in return, flicking his bangs out of his face. He had cut his hair, but kept some of his bangs. He liked them, and he had been hoping for a day when M.K. would be back. "I missed you too."

The fear that had taken residence in her emerald green eyes fades and she brushes his bangs back from his forehead. A moment later, they're kissing, and he's smiling into the gentle action.

She pulls away shortly after, smiling still with her eyes half-bright. "Nod, why am I here?" she asks softly.

"You came looking for me?" he suggests, even though he knows the question she's really asking. He just doesn't have an answer.

"Well, yes, but why am I here in Moonhaven?" she asks, moving off of him. "And what's with the dress?"

He blushes. "Oh, that. Well, the Queen gave it to you, because you were, ah..." He trails off, thoroughly embarrassed.

"Oh," she says softly, hugging her arms close around her as she looks down at him. "You still haven't told me why I'm in Moonhaven."

"I don't know," he answers simply.


	4. Chapter 3: Illness

"You _don't __know__?!_" M.K. shrieks, glaring at Nod and her hands tighten around his forearms. She was too angry to notice how much more muscle he had gained, too confused to realize that her anger was making him upset or that she was hurting him. She had too much of a headache to care. "How do you not know?!" she demands.

"I just don't. The Queen doesn't either. No one I've told knows why you're here. The rest are unaware," he says softly, calmly. "We'll figure it out. But you need to relax, M.K."

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, ignoring the slight ache in her limbs and her headache. "Alright. What do we do?" she asks, looking up at him.

He smiles slightly and her heart races. "The only thing we can do. We teach you how to fly a bird more thoroughly and we train you. You're here for a reason, even if no one knows it. We have to do what we can to make sure you stay safe."

"Alright, Captain," she agrees, smiling slightly as well.

Training wouldn't be so bad, if he was her teacher. She could tell he still had a playful heart even though being reinstated as a leafman had made him take things like this more serious.

Now if only she could get rid of her headache.

The hummingbird behind him chirps and he frowns in concern, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Are you alright?" he asks softly.

"Y-yes," she says shakily before doubling over in pain.

"No. We're getting you home," he says decisively, helping her onto the silver bird. "Night, take us there."

His voice sounds distant, his hold on her tight but beyond her grasp as she slips into darkness.

* * *

Nod paces the hallway outside M.K.'s room, running a hand through his hair nervously. He didn't understand what was going on. She had seemed perfectly fine, but now she wasn't, and he was panicking.

After getting her home, he had gotten a doctor to see if something was wrong. She was still in M.K.'s room even now, a half hour later.

Finally, when he feels he'll go insane from not knowing, the doctor emerges. "What-"

She shakes her head. "I don't know what's wrong. It might be something we don't know about here."

"Will-"

"She's still asleep, and she may stay asleep for a while longer. But she'll be fine, I believe."

He sighs. "Thank you, Doctor Meadows."

"You're welcome, Captain," the doctor answers before leaving.

Nod leans against the wall, massaging his temples. Not only was M.K. here without anyone knowing why, but she was ill and the best doctor Moonhaven had to offer didn't know what it was. This was not a good situation.

But what could he do to fix it?

Captain of the leafmen guard and he was useless when his best friend needed him most. This positively sucked.

* * *

_**A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short. I've been working on this story in small parts, but I do have a plan for it, promise. It just seem a little random right now, I know. It will all make sense in time.**_

_**On another note, I absolutely love getting reviews from you all! They help inspire me to continue. Thanks for your support! :D**_


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